The Democratic Alliance (DA) has officially named Helen Zille as its candidate for mayor of Johannesburg, ending weeks of speculation about her political future.

Zille, a former DA leader and Western Cape premier who has chaired the party’s Federal Council since 2019, was unveiled at an event in the city on Saturday. Party leaders framed her candidacy as a decisive move to restore stability and credibility to a municipality long plagued by political turbulence, corruption scandals, and service delivery failures.

The announcement comes as leaked polling data indicates the ANC is on the back foot in Johannesburg, with growing dissatisfaction among residents over failing infrastructure and unreliable services. Analysts say the city is fast becoming a critical battleground that could shape the balance of power in urban South Africa ahead of the next local government elections.